


Alliance

by sugarandspace



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alliance Rune (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Established Relationship, Fluff, Husbands, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 13:56:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18874573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarandspace/pseuds/sugarandspace
Summary: "Alexander I'm bored."Alec and Magnus test the limitations and opportunities of the alliance rune.





	Alliance

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write about Malec having fun with the rune but somehow I spilled some angst in there too. Ooops.

“Alexander I’m bored,” Magnus says, gracefully flopping down to an armchair.

“And what do you suggest we do?” Alec asks, closing his book and placing it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Well I do have something in mind,” Magnus says and moves to sit next to Alec on the couch. The look on his husband’s face makes Alec suspicious, because Magnus looks like he’s plotting something but there’s also some nervousness in his expression, like he doesn't know how Alec will react to his suggestion. 

Alec arches one eyebrow, his tone careful. “And that is?”

“Do you want to try my magic?”

The question throws Alec off guard, his mouth opening but no words coming out. Luckily Magnus continues talking. 

“Months ago, when we were in Edom, I know you got to try Lorenzo’s powers when you two were bonded. I was thinking that maybe you would like to see what mine feel like.”

There’s a vulnerable edge to his words, even though Magnus is trying to act nonchalant. Alec gets the impression that it would be more to Magnus than just a way to kill boredom. Before Alec can reply though, Magnus is talking again, trying to lighten the conversation. 

“Also, it could be interesting to test out how well you could control them - to see how far the bond goes and what you would be able to do,” he says.

“Are you sure?” Alec asks. The idea intrigues him - of course it does. It had been both odd and amazing to be able to feel a hint of how it feels like to have magic. But Alec knows how significant Magnus’ relationship with his magic is, how protective and careful he is with it - especially after going through losing it.

“I’m sure,” Magnus replies, taking both of Alec’s hands to his and squeezing them tight. 

“Alright,” Alec says, convinced that Magnus really wants it.

“Alright?”

“Yes,” Alec says, letting go of Magnus’ hands to pull his stele out from his pocket. “I need to draw the rune on you.”

Magnus offers his hand, which Alec takes, turning it so that the inside of his wrist is facing up. His grip on it is gentle as he carefully starts drawing the rune inside Magnus’ forearm. He grimaces when he hears the hiss of pain leave Magnus’ lips.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Magnus says as he studies the dark rune on his skin. It looks so bizarre to Alec, the mark standing out on Magnus’ otherwise so clear skin. A mark that Alec drew and that will soon bind them together. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts, finding a clear part on his own skin to draw the pair to the one on Magnus’ skin.

Just like last time, the effect isn’t instant. It takes a moment before Alec jolts, surprised by the magic now flowing in his body. Alec doesn’t know if it’s his mind playing tricks or if it actually feels different this time. It feels almost intimate, in a way Lorenzo’s hadn’t.

This magic feels kinder, warmer, more familiar and less wrong. It’s still wildly unfamiliar feeling, but this time it’s Magnus’ magic, magic that Alec has learnt to love like he loves every other part of his husband.

He lifts his hand up to eye level, focusing on it and soon it’s covered with light blue tendrils of magic. The magic flares up higher than Lorenzo’s yellow one did - more potent and more powerful.

“It’s beautiful,” Alec says, almost without planning to. He shifts his eyes to Magnus who’s looking at him, a soft smile on his face as he studies Alec’s reaction.

Magnus doesn’t say anything, his eyes studying both the flames on Alec’s skin and the look of awe on Alec's face. It must look so wrong to Magnus, his own powers in the hands of a Shadowhunter, but instead of an uncomfortable expression all Alec sees is a look of wonder.

“It suits you,” Magnus says eventually, his voice taking a flirty tone. “You look exquisite Alexander.”

“Shut up,” Alec replies, rolling his eyes and letting the magic drop. “What do you want to do next?”

Magnus looks around the room, a thoughtful look on his face. “Oh now I know. Try to levitate that book.”

Alec looks at the book on the coffee table, not even knowing where to start. He can feel the constant buzz of magic inside but he has no idea what he has to do to make it obey him.

“And how do I do that?” Alec asks, looking at Magnus. Magnus smiles encouragingly before speaking.

“Focus on it,” he says simply. “Try to reach out to it with the magic.”

And Alec does try. 

But nothing happens. 

“This is difficult,” he says, frustrated.

“No one said that it’s easy,” Magnus replies lightly. 

“I never assumed that,” Alec says quickly, not wanting Magnus to think that he underestimates the effort it takes to control magic. He’s experienced it before, has felt the magic being out of control as he struggled to stay in control of himself. It is not easy, and he has a huge amount of respect for every warlock. 

Magnus smiles at the words - a soft, kind smile that is one of Alec’s favorites. He takes Alec’s hand in his and turns it so the palm is facing up. 

“Let’s try something a bit easier first,” Magnus says, still holding Alec’s hand with one hand but conjuring a flame of magic to his other palm. He lets the magic dance for a while, until it forms into a ball. “Try this.”

Alec looks at his own palm, focusing and being able to conjure the flames back. His flames are bigger than the ones on Magnus’ palm were, more out of control. Magnus’ hand moves from under his palm, smoothing down his wrist and forearm, following the veins there. 

“Calm down,” he says gently, his eyes going between the flame and Alec’s eyes. “A little comes a long way.”

Alec looks at the flame, making an effort to calm down the flow of magic gathering to his hand like it’s leaking out of his body now that it’s found a way out. 

“That’s right,” Magnus says encouragingly. “Just like that.”

Even this feels like a huge accomplishment, and Alec has no idea how he’s supposed to shape the flame into a ball. Luckily Magnus continues his instructions. 

“Close your eyes,” he says to Alec. “Focus on the magic. Don’t think of it as something that is inside your body and that you’re letting out. Think of it as a part of your body. Move it like you would move a finger.”

Alec does as he’s told, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He hadn’t even realised how tense he was, body unused to this kind of power.

He can’t see the flame anymore, but he can feel it. Instead of focusing on how it feels on his palm - how his fingers are tingling and his hand is warm - he focuses on the magic itself, trying to shape it with his mind.

“Yes!” Comes the triumphant sound from next to him, and Alec opens his eyes to see that the flame has changed shape. It’s not as neat and dense as Magnus’ was, but it is clearly a rounder shape.

Alec smiles, his breathing heavy in a similar way it would be if he were training. But it’s worth it to feel the accomplishment of succeeding in the task.

After a moment he lets the magic drop and slumps to the couch, feeling exhausted. He frowns when he looks at Magnus and a hint of the same exhaustion is visible on his face too, even though he’s barely used any magic. 

“It does take a lot of energy to learn to control it,” Magnus replies, his breathing more frequent than normal. “But don’t worry about it, seeing you so concentrated with my magic at your fingertips was definitely worth the loss of energy.”

“I think I can help us with that,” Alec says, reaching to his stele. He looks at Magnus for confirmation, lifting the hem of his own shirt only after Magnus gives him a nod. Alec brushes the stele over the stamina rune on his ribs, instantly feeling it take effect.

“Oh wow,” Magnus says, his back straightening momentarily as he feels the surge of energy course through his own body as well. “That’s convenient.”

Alec laughs at Magnus’ reaction.

“I always knew, in theory, how those runes work. But I’ve never actually felt how it feels like when you activate one,” Magnus continues. 

Alec thinks about the other runes on his body, ways they could maybe one day be useful to Magnus. His mind falls to the one on his other side, and he can’t help but smile.

“What are you thinking about?” Magnus asks, clearly catching on that Alec has realised something.

“I just realised,” Alec starts, looking at Magnus. “That I finally have a way to help you if you get injured and aren’t able to heal yourself. I don’t need to call Catarina every time, I can bind us together and use my iratze if the injury is something an iratze can help with.”

Magnus’ eyes soften, a small smile gracing his lips before he leans forward to brush them against Alec’s.

“That is a wonderful realisation.”

After a couple more kisses Alec leans back, not ready to move on from their conversation just yet.

“Doesn't in distract you?” Alec asks, eager to learn more. “The constant buzz of magic?”

Alec can still feel the magic, and it’s hard not to focus on it. It’s not an uncomfortable feeling, but it is a strong sensation that fills his whole body.

“You get used to it,” Magnus says, stopping to think before continuing to explain. “It’s kinda like breathing, if you focus on it, you can feel it. But other than that you don’t really pay attention to it.”

“That does make sense,” Alec says. When he thinks about it, it’s no surprise that he feels it so strongly, the feeling unfamiliar to his body and mind. But it’s a different case for Magnus, who’s lived with the power for centuries.

“Back when I didn’t have it, I felt empty,” Magnus continues, shifting his eyes down and playing with his hands as his mind goes back to the time he spent without his magic.

Alec listens carefully, because it’s still a difficult topic for Magnus to talk about, and Alec makes sure to pay attention whenever Magnus talks about it. He wants Magnus to know that he’s willing to listen, that he wants to be the person who Magnus can talk about anything with. 

Alec knows that Magnus’ unwillingness to talk is not because he doesn’t trust Alec but because he doesn’t want to relive those moments and feelings, the wounds still too fresh to look back to. Those few times he’s talked about it make Alec feel so incredibly proud, because he knows that it means that Magnus is dealing with those memories better and better.

Alec takes Magnus’ fidgeting hands to his and watches as Magnus lifts his head to look Alec in the eyes again, “I can’t even imagine how it must have felt.”

Magnus had compared the magic to breathing just few moments ago, and Alec feels like the comparison might have been closer to truth than he imagined at first.

“It’s in the past now,” Magnus says, taking in a deep breath and squeezing Alec’s hands. “I could say that things are pretty much perfect right now.”

And Alec has to agree. He looks at their joined hands, at the matching rings on their fingers. He looks at Magnus, his husband who he loves with his whole heart and who he knows loves him back in equal measure. Around them is the loft, a place that has always felt like a sanctuary, and that has now turned into a home as well. 

Alec never dared to dream that things even could be this close to perfect.

There are still things that need fixing. Of course there are, there will probably always be. But they don’t feel as daunting when Alec knows that he doesn’t need to face those things alone. 

Alec looks at their hands again, focusing on the fresh runes on their arms.

It was an interesting test, Alec has to admit. It was nice to learn more about the opportunities and limitations of the rune, even though the need to use it will probably be nonexistent. As proved, Alec can’t do much with Magnus’ magic, and there will probably be better, more efficient ways for Magnus to achieve the things Alec’s runes could provide. But they also know that this is an option for them, if the need ever arises. 

Instead of their differences clashing, they found an another way they can complete each other.

**Author's Note:**

> [You can find me from tumblr too!](https://www.sugarandspace.tumblr.com)


End file.
